Chapter 4 – Three Years Later

Ginny sat in her living room, staring at the fire and thinking. Tomorrow was going to be the biggest day of her life. Was she ready? Months of planning were complete and she was looking forward to her perfect June wedding. She thought of Harry and smiled. Her strong, wonderful Auror and soon to be husband. They had come a long way in three years. After the battle, he and Ron had spent the summer helping at Hogwarts before enrolling in Auror training. Ginny was certain Harry would excel and make top of his class. Surprisingly, it had been Ron who outranked not only his class, but every class for the past twenty eight years. Her shy brother had come into his own with Harry right by his side.

Then there was Hermione, the third part of the trio soulmates, as she thought of them. Kingsley had begrudgingly allowed Hermione to finish her last year of school. Then the day after she graduated, he had offered her a position at the Ministry. Now she worked two floors above the Auror department in the former Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, now called the Department for Magical Creature Relations. That change had come just two months previous when Hermione, as assistant director of the department, had finally succeeded in her lobbying.

While her fiancé, brother and best friend/sister-in-law-to-be had excelled in their fields, Ginny had also come into her own. She had been recruited to the Harpies straight out of school. Last year she had been runner up as the top chaser in Britain and this year she had a new training regimen that she hoped would take her to the top. Her last season with the Harpies had seen the team take second place behind Puddlemere United, the same team whose chaser, Alicia Spinnet, had beaten Ginny for the top chaser position. Ginny held no hard feelings against Licie, who she was good friends with off the pitch. In fact, Licie and Oliver would be at the wedding.

As Ginny thought about how far she and the others had come in a few short years, she looked around her and thought that the old house had come even farther. Harry had moved into Grimmauld Place after the war. When Ginny graduated Hogwarts, she had left school and moved straight into the house, much to her mother's dismay. Harry had been working on cleaning it out for a year, but when Ginny arrived the renovations began in earnest. Harry didn't have a lot of preference on décor, he just wasn't into extremes and he wanted to be comfortable. He also banned the color orange, insisting that every time he saw orange he flashed back to Ron's room at the Burrow. With those guidelines in mind, Ginny had redesigned Grimmauld into a comfortably elegant family home. Harry had plenty of money, but they didn't flaunt it. When it came to the house though, he insisted that Ginny get what she wanted and design something that would last. The main part of the house had been finished a year ago and their master suite was finished six months ago. The rest of the bedrooms still needed some work, but they had time. Ginny hoped to play for a few more years and had no plans for little Potters quite yet.

As she thought about babies, Ginny's mind went to the night before. Harry had returned from a week in the field and he had been passionate and enthusiastic in their lovemaking. He had started fast and then, once sated, had continued to pleasure her for several hours afterward. Ginny shivered as a smile crept across her face. Harry was her first and last lover and she had no complaints. She had originally had a few doubts about the arrangement that had been made that first morning after the battle, but it had worked out well. Harry loved her unconditionally and showed her so in a variety of ways. But he also loved Ron and Hermione in a different and wonderful way. Ron and Hermione were frequent guests at Grimmauld, but three or four times a month Harry would let Ginny know that he needed time away with them. The first time had been awkward, but Harry came back so relaxed and happy that Ginny tucked her fears away. In fact, that was where Harry was while Ginny sat in front of her fire. With their wedding tomorrow followed by two weeks in Italy and Greece, Ginny knew Harry needed his time with his soulmates. He had been hesitant to leave her, but she had encouraged him to go. He promised to be back sometime in the early morning. Ginny hoped it was early enough to allow them some time of their own. Harry's time with Ron and Hermione always left him horny and ready to extend his love to Ginny. She knew that some insisted on staying away from their bride or groom for the week up to the wedding, but Ginny had no such intention. Any time she could be making love to Harry was an opportunity not to be wasted.

Ginny remembered the first time she had given herself to Harry. She had been very deliberate in her attempt and had overcome his reluctance. After the war they had spent two months helping with the rebuild at Hogwarts. Harry was living at Grimmauld and Ginny was at the Burrow. At the end of June, Ginny had gotten into an argument with her mother and left to visit Harry. When she arrived, Ron and Hermione were in their room together and Harry was not yet home. She had made herself tea and sat down to wait. Harry arrived home a while later and patiently listened to Ginny rant about her mother treating her like a child. While he sat listening, Ginny realized Harry seemed distracted. She had been momentarily annoyed, until she realized something was wrong. Harry had confessed that Ron and Hermione's lovemaking upstairs was affecting him and he apologized. Ginny decided then that she had waited long enough. Harry had been trying to put her off until her birthday in early August, but when Ginny sat on his lap and began to snog him that night, his resistance melted and he apparated them upstairs to his bedroom. He had used all his willpower to proceed slowly and had been a gentle, tender lover for her first time. They made love several times that night and she gave up on returning home until the next day. The embarrassing part came when she had met Ron and Hermione downstairs the next morning. They had both been happy for her and it was then that Ginny realized they must have been feeling Harry's emotions the same way he felt theirs. She had soon had to get past the embarrassment since Ron and Hermione lived at Grimmauld for another year and a half and were often in the house at the same time as Harry and Ginny. They had only moved out about a year ago, shortly before they married. They were now living in a cottage near Ottery St. Catchpole, about 150 km north of London. The distance meant that Harry was still connected to them, but he didn't feel the emotions as deeply, which made lovemaking easier for both couples.

Ginny's contemplation was suddenly broken by the sound of the doorbell. Who could that be at this hour? Ginny got up and made her way to the door. She cast a quick transparency charm to see who was waiting on her doorstep. Surprisingly, she saw Bill and Fleur. She opened the door and greeted them enthusiastically.

"Bill, Fleur! This is a surprise. Come in."

"Hey sis. We just finished dinner at Giuliano's and went for a walk. We were nearby and thought we'd drop in. How are you? Ready for the big plunge?"

Ginny hugged them both and they followed her to the living room.

"Yes, I'm ready Bill. I've been ready for at least a year. Did you have dessert? We've got some fresh biscuits left from earlier."

"That sounds good Gin. I think it's about time you formalized your partnership anyway. You and Harry have been practicing for two years already. You haven't killed each other yet, so it might actually work."

Ginny swatted at her laughing brother and called for Kreacher to bring some tea and biscuits.

"So, how is Victoire? Who's got her? Mum?"

"Our lovely daughter has finally finished teething, thank the gods. Charlie offered to watch her tonight since he's at our place anyway. Something about being allergic to all the decorations and frilly bits spread around the Burrow."

"Well that should be interesting. See how Charlie handles a one year old."

"I figure if he can handle dragons, he may be almost ready to handle my daughter."

Ginny laughed. "You know we all adore her, but you do have your hands full with that one. So, Fleur, when are you going to start germinating another?"

"Not for a while Ginny. Bill is ready, but I still remember being sick for the first three months too well. I told him I want to wait at least another year."

"And I said we need to hurry up if I'm going to get a full Quidditch team."

Fleur glared at her husband and Ginny almost spilled her tea as she laughed.

"So Ginny, where's your groom? You can't tell me you're doing that whole separation before the wedding shite."

"No, most definitely not." Ginny said with an evil grin that made her oldest brother groan.

"Harry is at Ron and Hermione's. He should be back early morning."

Ginny selected a biscuit and continued sipping her tea when she saw the look cross Bill's face quickly before he covered. The three of them ate for a moment, letting the room grow quiet before Bill finally voiced his thoughts.

"Alright Ginny, I have to ask. Are you still planning on continuing to look the other way regarding Harry's affair once you're married?"

Ginny sighed. Bill still hadn't come to an acceptance about the trio soulmates. When she and Harry had gotten back together after the battle, Bill had watched their relationship closely to see how serious they were. Shortly before Ginny's 17th birthday, Bill had finally decided that he needed to have a big brother talk with her. He had started trying to explain what had happened at Shell Cottage when they arrived from Malfoy Manor. Halfway through he began to have difficulty and Ginny finally grew frustrated. She proceeded to detail the rest of the story, as well as her and Harry's agreement. She had also unfortunately let it slip that she and Harry were already sleeping together. Bill had looked horrified and she later found him in her father's workshop with a bottle of firewhiskey. She had apologized for upsetting him and, under the influence of alcohol, he had agreed to let her live her life. Now it was almost three years later and he was still working on doing that. Once Ginny had herself controlled, she finally responded to him.

"No Bill. I am not looking the other way. I never have. Harry, Ron and Hermione have always been completely honest with me and I have been the same with them. I know their bond and I've made the conscious choice to allow what is best for everyone."

"Even yourself?"

"Yes, even myself. My knowledge and acceptance of their relationship has allowed Harry and I to have a level of communication that many couples spend years developing. Then of course, when Harry returns from Ron and Hermione's he is always quite amorous with me."

"More than I need to know! Thank you, no!"

"Really Bill, I thought you had accepted their threesome long ago. You were the one who saw it first."

"I had hoped it would pass. It seems I was wrong. As long as you are happy, that's all I want."

"I am happy, but I wish you didn't remain so conflicted. What is the issue Bill? Is it one of the trio specifically?"

"Huh? No. Not exactly."

"Well that was concise and unintelligible. Please Bill, as the only other family who realizes what they have, I want to help you. What is it?"

"Ah fuck, alright. You may be my baby sister but you're a woman now and I suppose since you understand their strangeness, I don't need to hold back. I've been trying to figure it out myself for years. When I found them that morning before they left for the bank I was so damned confused. I knew Ron had feelings for Hermione and found it strange that he would share her. Then, as they got ready to leave, I saw Ron hug Harry and I knew by the way they looked at each other that my brother and his best friend were shagging each other also. Sorry Gin, but mum raised us with the pureblood ideals and that doesn't include being queer. I know I'm old fashioned, but there it is."

"Alright Bill, thanks for being honest with me finally. You do understand Ron doesn't like men, he loves Harry. The four of us were at a pub a couple years ago and this bloke came on strong to Ron. The guy was gorgeous, but Ron was completely repulsed. Hermione stepped in and staked her claim and the guy left. Maybe that will help you, although I still think you need to work on joining the new millennium."

"Yeah, okay Ginny, I'm working on it. Have been for years."

"How about you Fleur, how do you feel?"

"It was a bit difficult to understand at first Ginny, but I see them together and the bond is obvious. Anyway, I'm French. We have always been liberal."

The conversation then turned away from the touchy subject of the trio soulmates and Ginny discussed a new lamb recipe that Fleur had recently tried. That led to a discussion regarding herbs in French cooking and how it differed from English cooking. Bill remained quiet while he put a dent in the tray of biscuits. They spent about forty minutes with Ginny, before declaring that they needed to get home before Charlie decided to start hatching dragon eggs in their fireplace. Ginny hugged them both goodbye and whispered a final assurance to Bill before she let him go.

A while later, Ginny went to bed early around ten and tried to ignore the empty bed next to her. That was the one problem when Harry was away, especially when his Auror duties called him away for days at a time. Eventually she managed to fall asleep.

Shortly after five in the morning, Ginny was awakened by her naked fiancé crawling into bed. He leaned over and gave her a light kiss before settling back to sleep a while longer. Ginny realized that he thought she was asleep, but Harry was quickly corrected as Ginny rolled over and straddled him. Like she had expected, he was already partly aroused, and when Ginny attacked him, he happily complied with her intentions. Ten minutes after his arrival, Ginny screamed into her first orgasm and an hour after Harry's return home, Ginny climaxed for the third time that morning. They were both panting as they lay, staring into each other's eyes.

"Wow Ginny. That was bloody fantastic. Everyone says the honeymoon is the best, but I can't imagine anything better than what you just did to me."

"Mmhmm, just wait Harry. I have some ideas for our trip."

Ginny kissed him and Harry started to rise again. Ginny pulled back and laughed.

"Alright lover, we better calm you down. We're supposed to be at mum's in an hour to start setting up."

"An hour huh? That allows plenty of time for a nice, long shower."

An hour and fifteen minutes later the bride and groom finally made their way to the floo.